Mining News: Mineral, oil and law experts lead DNR 12/19/2010
Parnell calls on attorney general to lead natural resources department, calls on Fogels, Balash to bring energy, mining experience
Since being elected to his first full term as Alaska's governor in November, Gov. Sean Parnell has delivered tough words to groups he sees as attempting to block the development of the state's resourc...

DNR deputy commissioners named 12/05/2010
Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell said Dec. 1 that he has named Ed Fogels and Joe Balash as deputy commissioners for the Department of Natural Resources. The governor earlier accepted the resignation of Deput...

Attorney General Sullivan to head DNR 11/21/2010
Gov. Parnell picks Sullivan as commissioner of Natural Resources, replacing Irwin; no new AG named; Hartig stays at DEC
Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell announced the first of his cabinet picks Nov. 18 at the Resource Development Council for Alaska's annual conference. Parnell took over in mid-2009 after Gov. Sarah Palin resig...

Parnell reshaping gas line leadership 11/14/2010
The resignations Gov. Sean Parnell requested of cabinet members will bring new leadership to the team developing a multibillion dollar North Slope natural gas pipeline, the Anchorage Daily News report...

First White Hills well file public 05/30/2010
AOGCC well log for Mastodon 3-6-9, drilled in early 2008, becomes public, offering some clues about reservoir and target geology
The White Hills prospect has been one of the most active and one of the most secretive on the North Slope in recent winters, with Chevron drilling at least five wells but offering little information a...

Parnell's elevation request rejected 03/28/2010
Corps of Engineers, Obama administration officials hear from North Slope officials, communities on rejection of permit for CD-5
The district commander for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Alaska has denied a request from Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell to elevate the Corps' rejection of ConocoPhillips Alaska's CD-5 Alpine satellit...

Chevron relinquishes 41 White Hills OandG leases 03/14/2010
Dropped leases lie in southern end of prospect in Brooks Range foothills, but company plans to retain leases around recent exploration wells in the north
Chevron is narrowing its focus at its White Hills prospect on the North Slope. According to state land records, the state terminated 41 leases in White Hills on Feb. 1 because Chevron, through its sub...

Oil Patch Insider: Gazprom CEO: U.S. firms lack knowledge for Arctic projects 01/10/2010
Alaskans need help from Russians with projects in the Arctic, the CEO of Russian energy giant Gazprom, Alexei Miller, has told Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, Gazprom said in a release Dec. 25. Mil...

Exxon joins line 06/14/2009
Partners with TransCanada in Alaska gas line; state says AGIA not affected
TransCanada has a partner in the Alaska gas pipeline project, announcing June 11 that it has reached an agreement with ExxonMobil to work together on the project. The State of Alaska reviewed the agr...

Differing views on clarity for RCA 05/10/2009
Utilities, producers and the state weigh in on RCA proposal to develop a standard contract for Cook Inlet utility gas supplies
The big question is price when it comes to utility natural gas from Alaska's Cook Inlet: High prices hit the pocketbooks of Southcentral Alaska consumers, while low prices deter gas producers from fin...

Exploration continues 03/29/2009
Through March, six companies in various stages of drilling on the North Slope
Despite some bumps and scraps, the winter exploration season is under way, with six companies in various stages of drilling on state and federal land across the North Slope. Anadarko is getting its wo...

DNR concludes Point Thomson hearing 02/22/2009
ExxonMobil moving ahead with ice roads; Nabors says rig will be ready to move out by mid-March; five to seven days to location
The Department of Natural Resources finished up its hearing on appeals of the termination of 31 Point Thomson oil and gas leases Feb. 12 and Point Thomson operator ExxonMobil said the company began ic...

Chevron gets second White Hills permit 01/11/2009
The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has approved a second drilling permit for Chevron's exploration venture in the White Hills prospect in the central North Slope. On Dec. 22, AOGCC approve...

Drilling permits issued 01/04/2009
AOGCC issues first permits to Chevron, Anadarko for '09 exploration season
The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission recently approved the first two drilling permits for the 2008-09 winter exploration season in northern Alaska. On Dec. 9, AOGCC approved a permit for Ch...

State says work illegal 12/28/2008
Claims Exxon did not have permit for well work done last summer at Point Thomson
An individual in the private sector who does permitting for oil companies in Alaska told Petroleum News that recent events at the former Point Thomson unit on the eastern North Slope reminded him of t...

Cook Inlet deal? 12/28/2008
State offers to combine prospects to save leases; companies want more time
State oil and gas officials are proposing to consolidate the lease holdings of three Cook Inlet operators in the hopes of speeding development of several offshore prospects. But the operators are aski...

State sees partnership on natural gas pipeline 12/14/2008
Believes project costs remain relatively stable despite falling commodity prices, cites need to increase federal loan guarantee
The State of Alaska believes the various players involved in trying to build a natural gas pipeline will come together on the project, according to a top state oil and gas official. "We believe it's o...

DNR, governor in line on Point Thomson 12/14/2008
Palin backs up Department of Natural Resources officials; says Exxon hasn't abided by terms leases at eastern North Slope field
The suggestion made Dec. 1 that the Alaska Department of Natural Resources was not on the same page as Gov. Sarah Palin on the Point Thomson issue seems to have been given the lie in Fairbanks Dec. 5....

Legislators hear PT tiff 12/07/2008
Exxon says it is keeping to drilling schedule; DNR disputes what's permitted
The State of Alaska and working interest owners in the terminated Point Thomson unit are in court-ordered settlement negotiations - which made for some interesting testimony before a Dec. 1 joint meet...

State won't budge 12/07/2008
Corsair, Kitchen pushed to edge; DNR denies concessions at inlet units
The State is refusing to budge for two independent oil companies asking for concessions as they try to arrange the final pieces of difficult drilling programs in Cook Inlet. In a pair of letters dated...

Russian gas giant visits Alaska 10/19/2008
Gazprom board members, chairman, meet with state officials, former Gov. Hickel, ConocoPhillips CEO Mulva in Anchorage
Top executives with giant Russian energy company Gazprom met in Anchorage the week of Oct. 13 with aides to Gov. Sarah Palin as well as executives from oil company ConocoPhillips and Arctic Slope Regi...

Experience, constitution would guide Parnell in leadership role 09/07/2008
Gov. Sarah Palin will continue to handle state affairs during her campaign for vice president, state officials said Aug. 29, the day Republican presidential nominee John McCain named Palin as his runn...

Betting on exploration 07/13/2008
Alaska officials wager gas line from Cook Inlet to Fairbanks will spur drilling
The newest in-state gas pipeline plan for Alaska is based on a bet. By connecting a region with a declining supply of gas to another region desperate for affordable fuel, the state is betting it can j...

Gas headed north 07/13/2008
State of Alaska, ANGDA Enstar to build pipeline from Cook Inlet to Fairbanks
Worried minds contemplating the dwindling natural gas supply in the Cook Inlet have long looked north for a solution, but the answer they expected to find always involved supply. Could the answer up n...

AGIA on trial 06/01/2008
First public discussions show administration will be defending process, not proposal
Fifty-nine to one was the margin when the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act passed the Alaska Legislature in May 2007. Judging from the questions the administration is getting on the TransCanada AGIA lice...